Wheeled gang-plow.



WBIL'ER. n r WHEBLED GANG PLOW. APPLIUAA'TION FILED JAN.30. 1911*.-

' Patented Mar. l1, 1913..

6 SHEETS-*SHEET 1.

5, om@ @n SN INVENTOR WEILER WHEELED GANG PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED 111.11.30. 1911.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

.N. WEILER. WHBBLBD GANG PLOW.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30. 1911.

Patented Mar. 11,1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WIT ESSES WEILER.

WEEBLED GANG PLOW. APPLICATION FILED JAN`.30, 1911.*

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

N. WEILER.

WHEELED GANG PLOW. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1911. 1995595539 Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

v 6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

TNESSES/.M/ l MW WMM WM '5y UNITED STATES PATEtit-.Ziffv ormoni NICHOLAS WE'ILER', OF FORT COLLINS, COLORADO, 'AssIGNoR OF ONE-HALF To B. L.

. sHRAnER, or FORT OOLLINsOOLORADO.

wnEELnn GANG-PLOW.

Patented Mai'. 11,1913.

Application led January 30, 1911. Serial No. 605,601.

To allwwmz'tmag/ concern.' Be it knownA that I, NICHOLAS WEILE'R,

acitizen of the'UnitedStates, and a resident of Fort Collins, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheeled Gang-Plows;jand I do hereby' de- Clare that'the following is a full, clear,- and exact ldescription thereof, reference being had to vthe accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon,

which form a part of this specification.'

. This inventionrelates to improvements in wheeled gang plows of that kindin'which several plows, whether of the mold board or disk type, are arranged progressively one in-front of the other and all adapted. to be drawn forwardly by a suitable motor, as a traction engine.

Among the objects of my invention is'to provide novel means for raising the several plows out of the ground at the end of a furrow or lowering them into the ground at the beginning of a furrow, so -arranged that the power for lifting the plows issderived from one of the supportingwheels of the gang or from an analogous part associated therewith whichtreads upon the land side of the ground, and thereby effect the automatic lifting or'lowering of the plows.

A further object of the invention' is to provide mechanism for lifting or lowering the plows in the manner described, arranged to be set in operation from the position of a person on the motor or traction engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for automatically arresting the actiony of the raising and lowering mechanism as soon as all the plows have been lifted out of or lowered into the ground. A still further object of the invention is to'provide means for progressively raising the plows outof the ground or lowering them into the ground arranged to first raise (or lower)' the forwardmost plow and to progressively raise (or lower) the plows in rear thereof, so that all of the plows will leave (or enter) the furrow at the same line and thus produce a square end furrow. Another object of the invention is to provide a reversibly acting mechanism so arranged as to positively raiseand positively lowerV the plows. Another object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby the plows may be raised by hand from the ground, either .singly or collectively. Other objects of the invention are to `im prove and simplify the plow 'raising and loweringy means and the manner of Operat# ing or controlling the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a mold board gang plow equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 1s a partial plan view of the plow and of the motor for pulling the same. Fig. 3 is a broken plan detail, show ing the Operating and reversing gear of the plow raising. and lowering vmechanism. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail sections, taken on the lines 4 4, 5 5, 6 6, 7 7 and 8 8, respectively, of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a side elevation, with parts in section, of one plow and its beam, and the supporting or gaging roller therefor, showing .also the mechanism for raising the plow out of the ground. Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional detail on the line lO -10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional detail on the. line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is-a horizontal detail section on the line 1). 12 of Fig. 9; Fig. 13 is a plan detail illustrating a portion of the plow beam and the raising and lowering means associated therewith. Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic Aplan view of the slotted bars for actuating the raising and lowering mechanismswhen arranged to progressively raise and lower the plows, showing said bars 1n a -position -in advance of that illustrated in Fig. l. Fig.

15 is a view similar to Fig. 14 illustrating the said parts in a furtlier, advanced position. Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive, are ldetails illustrating the action-ofthe tripping dogs on 'the slotted bars in a continuous advance movement of one bar, showing one lateralhalf of thechannel bar which carries the dogs. Fig. 2O is a section on the line 20-20 of Fig. 16, showing the manner of pivotally mounting the tripping dogs. Fig. 21 is a detail illustrating the action of the tripping dogs on the slotted bars when moving rearwardly. Fig. 22 is a sectional detail of one of the stops on the plow raising mechanism for tripping out of action the raising and lowering mechanism. Fig. 23 is a plan view showing a'modified arrangement of the plow raising mechanism. Fig. 24 is a sectional view of the plow platform, showing one of its supporting wheels, taken on the line 24 24 of Fig. 1, with .parts omitted, to illustrate the manner of connecting the shaft spring mounting of the plow disks.

The plow gang frame comprises the platform`30 which is supported on a suitable frame work embracing the draft sills 31, 31, the rear plow attaching -member 32 and other lsuitable frame construction (not shown) to give rigidity thereto. The said frame is supported on three wheels, one 34 I at the front thereof, two 35, 36 at the side. Arranged in rear of said frame are a plurality of plows, shown as of the mold board type, said plows being arranged side by side, and one in advance .of the other. The forward ends'of the beams 39 of said plows are attached in any suitable manner at 40 to t-he rear attaching member 32 of the frame, and said beams are provided in rear of the attaching member with horizontal pivots.41 to permit the rear ends of the beams and plows to swing vertically. The gang frame is attached to the drawbar 42 of theengine or motor 43 by the draft chains 44 which diverge rearwardly from the draw bar and are attached to theeyes at the front ends of the draft sills 31. The said plows are supported and the depth of their cut. gaged yby gage wheels or rollers 45 (Figs. 9 and 10) arranged just in front of the plows and supported in brackets that are mounted on the lower ends of vertical posts 46 which extend loosely upwardly through bearings 47 attached to the plow beams (Figs. 9, 11 and 12). Said posts 46 are provided at their upper ends with blocks 48 attached .thereto by means of the pins 49, and said vblocks are provided at their laterally opposite sides with lstuds carrying bearing rollers 50, 50. Sliding loosely on the posts 46 above the block 48 are sleeves 52 which are also provided with oppositely extending studs that carry bearing rollers 53, 53. The said sleeves 52 are rigidly connected by means of the straps or bars 55, 55 to the lower bearings 47. The rollers 53 of the sleeves 52 are adapted to engage the upwardly facing surfaces of obliouevor inclined members 57, (Figs. 9 and 13) the forward o1" lowermost ends of which terminate in pockets in which the said rollers 53 normally rest and which constitute stops to limit the rearward movement of the inclined members 57.

58, 58 designate horizontally arranged members below the oblique members 57, said members being adapt-ed to rest on the rollers 50 of the fixed blocks 48. Said bars 58 are provided with upwardly extending ears Vwhich Yoverlap the outer sides of the forward ends of the oblique kmembers '57 and are at` tached thereto by screw vbolts 61,. which screw.A bolts "constitute a pivotal, connection between the horizontal and oblique. members 57 and`58. Said oblique members 57 are provided with apertured, arcuate arms 63 which overlap the rear apertured ends of the members 58 and are adapted'to be locked in adjusted relation thereto by'means of the pins 64. The said members 58 extend at their forward ends beyond the shaftsllland ,are pivotally or otherwise :joined to horizontally arranged bars 65, as by the pivot pins 66.

The upper and lower members 57 and 58, arranged as described constitute, in effect,H bifurcated wedges, the upper or oblique members of which engage the rollers of ,the sleeves 52, and the lower or horizontal members of which engage the rollers of the block 48'whereby, when said wedges are drawn forwardly the rear ends of the-plow beams are lifted, through the medium of the straps 55 and bearing block 47, so as to raise the plow out of the ground; thelifting stress being resisted by the blocks 48 fixed tot-he posts 46. Theextent of such lifting movement, which may occur during the `forward travel of the wedges, may be variedzby adjusting the angle of the` obliquelmembers 57 to the horizontal members of the wedges, as permitted by the pivotal mounting of the oblique members and the adjusting pins 64. The said oblique members of the wedges are formed at their rear ends with notches or sockets 68 into which thebearing rollers pass and .by which they are held when the wedges are in their forwardmost positions so as to thereby lock the plows in their raised or lifted positions.

The depth to which the plows may be set into the ground may be regulated by providing the lower ends of the straps 55 with a series of apertures 69 to receive the screw bolts 70 by which they are attached to the lower bearings 47, as most clearly shown in Fig. 11. d

The wedge actuating bars 65 of t-he entire gang or unit are adapted to be operatedt from a common source of power, arranged to advance saidbars simultaneously so as to lift all the plows out of the ground at one l slots 75.A "Arranged beneath the` forward inafter described.

ends of said wedge Vactuating bars is a transverse universal bar 76 whichv is provided with Va plurality of upstanding bolts or studs 77 which extend through the slots 75 and arescrew-threaded at their upperends to receive nuts. The forward ends of said :slots 75 are provided with lateral notches 79, which the said studs 77 Vnormally occupy when the plows are in the ground, the bars being held in position to engage said notches 79 with the studs by means of springs 80 attached to the transverse or universal bar 76 and bearing at their free ends against the sides of said wedge actuating hars. Attached to and extending forwardly from said universal bar is a `draw bar 83, it havingbraced connection with the universal bar by means of the braces S4. The said draw bar isy adapted to be drawn forwardly by any suitable mechanism, such for instance as the rack and pinion mechanism .shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 and 9, and here- Vhen said draw. bar' is thus ldrawn forwardly the engagement of the bolts or lugs 77 of the universal bar with the ends of the slots 75 serves to simultane'ously draw ,all of said wedge actuating bars forwardly, and thereby draw the wedge devices, before described, forwardly between the upper and lower pairs of rollers 53 and 50, respectively, and thereby. simultaneously Withdraw all the plows from the ground. The said slots 75 are elongated so as to permit the plows to 'be separately raised,`and the slots are provided at their rear ends with lateral notches 86 so that when each plow is raised by forward movements of its wedge device and wedge actuating bar 65, the notch of the latter bar will be forced by the spring SO into engagement with the associated stud or bolt 77 so as to lock the plow in its raised position. Such raising ofthe plow may become desirable when it is necessary to repair one of the plows or to replace the plow share. In thus raising a plow the wedge actuating bar is forced latcrallyfto disengage the forward notch 79 from the stud or bolt 77, after which the plow may be raised by forcing forwardly the associated wedge device and simultaneously raising the plow beam, and

when the rear notch S6 of the slot 75 isv brought opposite said stud or bolt of the universal bar, said rear notch is forced into engagement with the stud or bolt to lock the plow in its raised position. y

lVhen it is desired to successively raise the plows at a time when the pl'owis being drawn forwardly so that all of the plows will be raised out of the ground at a tra-nsverse line of the furrow to produce a square end furrow, I may provide the construction illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1, 2.,

. and 14 to 21, inclusive. In this construe# tion there is provided a lost motion between the studs 77 of the universal bar 76,. and

certain vof the slotted wedge actuating bars,

so arranged that the wedge actuating bar associated with the forwardmost plow is at once actuated or drawn forwardly, when the raising mechanism is set in motion, to

91, 92, the former being locat'ed'at'the I rward ends of the slots and the latter at the rear ends thereof.' Said notches' 91, 92`are adapted for engagement by the studs or bolts 77 of the universal bar 76, the notched portions of the wedge actuating bars being held engaged with said studs by the springs 80. ,The notches 91, 92 associated with the forwardmost plow are made of a length to lit withopt substantial lost motion the associated lug 77 of the universal bar so thatwhen said universal bar is drawn forwardly by the means hereinafter described the said actuating bar of the forwardrnost plow will be at once drawn forwardly to raise its plow.

The notches 91 and 92 of the wedge actui Vstuds of the'universal bar and the wedge actuating bars ofv the other plows so as to bring such other actuating bars progres sively into act-ion. Theposition of the studs inthe rear notches 92 is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein said studs occupy the rearmost parts of all the notches. The progres sive increase of length of said notches bears the same relation to the distance between the plows, from front to rear of the machine, .as

lthe .forward advanced speed of the shifting bar 83 bears to the forward advanced speed of the entire plow', If it be assumed that one plow is located twenty-four inches in advance of the neXr jacent plow, and that the entire plowadv npes twenty-four inches in a given perioE-andthat during such period the shifting bar 83 advances at onetwelfth the speed of the forward movement of the whole plow, the progressive increase in. length of the notches 92 will be two inches or one-twelfth of the distance between `the plows from front to rear of the machine.

lVith the arrangement described, therefore, the universal bar and the wedge-actuating bar of the forwardmost plow will `move two inches, during. which time'the'machine is advancing two feet, before the wedge actu# ating bar of the neXt rearmost plow is shifted forwardly, and said last mentioned wedge actuating bar will be advanced two inches while t-he machine is advancing another two feet and so ,on until all of the wedge actuating bars are advanced to with,-V

draw or lift the plows out of the ground.

It is desirable also that the plows be low` ered into the ground in the same mannerthatthey arelifted out of the ground, and for this reason the forwardmost notches 91 of the slots 90 are arranged progressively4 made as follows 2 95, 96 designate transversely arranged, parallel channel bars located in front .of the normal positions of the forward ends of the wedge actuating bars and supported a distance above the same on the platform 30. Said bars are provided in line with the wedge actuating bars wit-h tripping dogs 97, 98,4 shown best in Figs. 16 to 20inclusive. Said tripping dogs are pivoted by the pins 99 to the fianges of the channel bars 95, 96 to swing laterally or in the planes of said fianges. The lower ends of said dogs are' formed with widened portions 100 which are arranged obliquely to the paths of travel of the wedge actuating bars, to present oppositelyv facing oblique faces to projections or studs 101 which extend upwardly from thc forward. ends of the wedge actuating bars. Each of said dogs is provided at its upper end on one side of the vertical plane of its pivot with a flat surface or shoulder 102 which is adapted to engage the web of the channel bar to which it is pivoted so as to prevent the dog swinging in one direction. Each dog is likewise rounded at its upper end on the other side of its pivot, as shown at 103, so as to permit the dog to swing on its pivot in the other direction. j

The rearwardly oblique faces of the dogs 97 of the rear bar .95 are presented to the projections 101 of the wedge actuating vbars in such a way that the dogs swing laterally,.

as shown in Fig. 17, when said actuating bars move forwardly. The dogs 98 onthe forwardmostebar 96 have their rear oblique faces presented tothe projections 101 in an opposite way so that said forward dogs remain stationary when the bars 65 move forwardly, with the result of deflecting the forward ends of the bars out of their path, (Figs.` 18 and 21) as permitted by the piv` ctal connection of the bars 65 with the bars `58. Thereby the studs' 77 of the universal bar V76 are brought into line with the slots 90 of thebars so deflected, the springs 80 permitting such lateral swinging of the bars 65. After the studs 77 are brought int-o line with the slots 90 the studs 101 pass by 'the dogs 98 and the said universal bar. 76 moves forwardly relatively to the wedge actuating bars until the studs are brought not-ches 92 from the studs 77, lthe hooks or\ seats 68 at the rear ends of the inclined or oblique members 57 are brought into engagement with the rollers 53, so that .thereby the plows are held in their upper or lifted positions.

The parts are so proportioned that the studs 101 do not slip over the ends of the dogs.98 until the studs 77 are fairly released from the notches 92 so as to prevent the studs skipping back into said notches. inasmuch as the universal bar 76 and the studs 77 continue their forward movementthis difference in time need not be great. In order that the rollers 53 may enter the hooks 68 before the disengagement of the studs 77 with the notches 92, the said hooks may bc formed on a somewhat greater radius than the rollers so as to thereby insure the engagement of the hooks with the rollers before forwardmovement of the bars 65 is discontinued. it will be noted that by reason of the'diiferent radii of the arcs through which the studs 101 at the forward ends of the bars 65 swing, as the construction herein shown is organized the langles of the dogs 97, 98 are correspondingly variedwith respect to each other so as to defiectthe swinging ends of said bars 65 only sutlioiently to properly disengage the studs 77 from the notches 92 and 91. When the universal bar and the studs 77 pass from the rear notches 92 to the forward notches 91, therefore, they are thus moved forwardly relatively to the wedge actuating bars 65 and the plows 38.

The return movement of the draw bar 83 and the universal bar 76 attached thereto Y the tripping dogs 98 of the forward bar 96' by reason of the fact that said dogs swing` laterally out of the paths of said projections when engaged at their forward oblique faces bythe studs 101; but when said studs are brought into engagement with the forward voblique faces of the dogs 97 of the rear bar 95, at which time the plows are lowered to the ground, the said wedge .actuating bars are shifted laterally to disengage the forward. notches 91 thereof from the universal bar studs 77 topermit the studs to move through the slots 90 back into-engagement with lthe rear notches 92, under the action of the springs, in the continued movement of the universal bar,' or to the position in-A dicated in Figs..1 and 2. The angle of the oblique members 57, as the construction herein shown is organized, is such that the weight of the plows'will not, in themselves, shift the actuating bars G5 rearwardly; but said bars and the plows are retained under the influence of the rearwardly. moving universal bar' 76 and the studs thereof until the plows reach the ground, so that the begin`- ning of the furrow will be square or on a right line to its length, instead of oblique, as where-all the plows enter the ground at once.

the shifting bar 83is best disclosed in Figs. 1 to 8,-l inclusive, and is made as follows The draw bar 83, which may consist of an angle bar, is provided with a vertically arranged toothed rack 11,()v which is engaged by a pinion 111 on a vertical, rotativleshaft 112 that is mounted in a suitable bearing 113 on the platform 30.. Said rack is held in engagement with the inion by the 'bearing rollers 114 mounted in suitable bearings which rise from the platform 30 (Figs. 3 and 7). Fixed to said shaft below the pinion111 is a worm gear 115 which is driven by a-worm 116 mounted on a horizontal rotative shaft 117 which is mounted in bearings 11S carried by said platform 30. The said shaft 117 extends loosely through and :has bearing in gear wheels 120, 121 (Fig. 8) that are rotatively mounted in said standards 11S, said gear wheels having elongated hubs which form .bearings therefor' in said `standards. Splined or otherwise non-rotatively fixed to the shaft 117, so as to-.lslideendwise thereof, isa clutch collar The means herein shown for actuating 12-3 which is provided on its opposite ends with clutch teeth adapted to separately engage clutch teeth carried by the inner or adjacent ends of the hubs of the gear wheels 120, 121. Fixed to or made integral with the gear wheel 120 is a sprocket wheel 124 that is driven, through the medium of a chain 125 (Figs. 1, 2 and 24) which is trained about a second sprocket wheel 126 that is iixed to the shaft of lthe adjacent supporting wheel 35.

The gearwheel 120 meshes with a pinion 12S of a'reversing gear mechanism thatis fixed to one end of a shaft 129 mountedin the bearings 130, 130. To the opposite end of said shaft 129 is fixed a'pini'on 131'which meshes with an idler gear 132 (Fig. 6) that in turn meshes with the gear, wheel 121. )Vith the construction described when the clutch collar 123 is engaged with the gear wheel 120, t-he shaft 117 is driven forwardly to shift the draw bar 83 forwardly to raise the plows out of the ground; and when the clutch collarvis engaged with the other gear wheel 121 the shaft 117 is` rotated rearwardly to shift the draw bar S3 rearwardly and lower the plows into the ground.

The clutch collar may be shifted from one position to the other by means of a shifter lever 135 which is loosely connected at one .end'thereof to the collar in a familiar mann er and is pivoted near its other end to a stud 136 that rises from thc platform 30.

rThe shifter lever is provided near its pivoted end with op'positely directed arms 137, 137 to .which are adapted to be attached the actuating ropes or 'cables 138 which extend -Y forwardly to the platform 139 of the engine motor 43 or by .which the plow is drawn forwardly,l so that the yreversing gear may be actuated from. the position of an operator onthe engine.

Means are provided for automatically shifting the clutch collar 123 out of engagement with the coperating gear wheels 120, 121 to its central or neutral position, so as to `thereby arrest the actuating gear mechanism at the end of the travel of the plow lifting devices in either direction. The means herein shown for effecting this result are made as followsz-140, 141 designate tripping blocks which are carried byl brackets 142 thatare attached to vthe draw bar 83, one near the front and the other near the rear end thereof. The said tripping blocks are adjustably mounted on the brackets 142 by means of the bolts 142a (Fig. 22) that eX- tend 4through bolt openings in the brackets 4 and slots in the blocks, thereby permitting the blocks to be adjusted longitudinally of the draw bar. 143 designates a leverthat is pivoted betweenits ends at 144 and is loosely connected at one end by a stud 145\with one arm 137 of the clutch shifter lever. The

other end of said lever 143 extends into the vshift the clutch collar into its intermediate or neutral position and thereby arrest the movement of the plow actuating device. The blocks are so adjusted relatively to the travel of the wedge actuating bars that the movement of the lifting mechanism is arrested at either limit when the rearmost' plow is raised out of or lowered into the ground. The adjustment of said tripping blocks 140, 141 on the draw bar S3 enables the mechanism to be adjusted to accurately arrest the mechanism when the plows have been lifted out of or inserted into the ground.

In order to raise the plows out of the ground by hand when the plow is standing still, l may provide the shaftl 117 with a hand crank 146 by which said shaft maybe rctated. Said hand crank may be employed to separately raise the forwardmost plow, or that which is first raised by the plow raising mechanism, when it is desired, to repair said. forwardmcst. plow, o-r it may-be employed to raise all the'plows. 1n order to separately raise the other'plows I may provide' the wedge actuating bars 65 in rear of the slots 90 with rearward prolongations 148 thereof provided at their 'rear ends =with lateral notches 149. W hen thus arranged a plow m'ay be raised from the position shown in Fig. 1 by first pressing the wedge actuating barlaterally to disengage the universal bar stud from therearinost notch 92 thereof and thereafter force the lifting .wedge forwardly until the notch 149 is brought opposite the universal bar stud to engage the notch and stud in a manner to lock the plow in its raised position.

In Figs. 25, 26 and 27 I have shown my improved reversible-plow raising and lowerl ing mechanism as applied tova ydisk plow of the general construction illustrated in my prior application for `United States Letters Patent, No. 607,312 tiled on the 8th day of February, 1911.' In this construction the manner to be swung -onthe pivots-of said brackets toward and away from the ground, and the bracketsof. each gang are connected to a reciproca'ble bar in such a way that when the 4bar is reciprocated in one direction the disks are raised from the ground and when` reciprocated in the other direction are lowered toward the ground; the reciprocable bars of adjacent gangs being-connected t0- gether so as to operate`simultaneously. As shown in saidV drawings, each gang comprises a main frame bar 155 having the arms i 156, 157 upon which are mounted theV supporting wheels 158. The disk plows 160 are rotatively mounted on brackets 161 which may be pivoted to theframe bar 155 in the general manner illustrated in my said prior application. Each of said brackets is provided with a lug 162 which is connected by a link designated as a whole by 163 with a reciprocable ,bar 164 generally` like the corresponding elements of the construction of my aforesaid application, said links being pivotally connected tothe lug-'162 andl the reciprocable bar. In the present construction the link is compo-sedof two members which are jointed at 165 by a knuckle jointand are maintained in the normal position shown inl Fig.L 28 by a spring 165, said spring permitting the link members to break and the plow to yield out' of the ground when the plow strikes a stone or like obstruction. The said reciprocable bar,

which is preferably an angle bar, is guided 'bar is held laterally in place by means of screw bolts 170 which extend downwardly through slots 171 in said bar and engage screw-threaded openings in the standards 168. The slotted arrangement permits the I bars to reciprocate relatively to the holding bolts, The reciprocable'bars 164 of the adjacent gangs are connected by a link 172.

When the reciprocable bar 164 is moved in one' direction it acts through the links 163 to swing the pivotal brackets 161 on their pivots to raise the plows out of the ground, and when said bar-is moved in the other direction the brackets are swung on their pivots in the other direction to lower the plows into the ground. The mechanism for so reciprocating the bar 164 is made vas follows z--17 5 designates a rack bar which is attached rigidly to and is located at the side of said reciprocable bar. 164 of the forwardmost gang. The teeth of said rack bar are engaged by a pinion 176 of a vertical shaft which ycarries a worm gear 177 that meshes shaft 179 which corresponds with the shaft .117 ofthe previously described construcj 1 gtion. The driving and reversing gear parts disks are mounted on 'pivotal brackets in a,

ywhich is rotatively mounted on anadjustable framemember 184` that is pivotally supported on the shaft 179, whereby said wheel may be adjusted vertically while maintaining the proper tension on the driving chain. is locked in adjusted position by 'means of4 van arcuate varm 186' fixed to the inner end of the bearing for the shaft of the wheel The wheel supporting member l 183 and said member is provided with a curved slot through which and a. plate 187 fixed to a horizontal member 188 of the frame, extend clamping bolts 189. The said locking arm may be provided with a hand piece 190 by whichI the wheel supporting member may be conveniently raised and lowered. The arrangement described permits the operating wheel 183 to be accurately adjusted to the ground so as to thereby furnish power to operate the plow raising and lowering mechanism. The movement. of the plow raising and lowering mechanism is automatically arrested at the end of the travel 'of the reciprocable bar by means of the tripping blocks 195, 196 fixed to the front'and rear ends of the reciprocable bar of the forward gang and adapted to engage the tripping lever'197 that is connected with the shifter lever 135 and operating in the same manner as the tripping lever 143 ofthe construction preyiously described.

The other parts of the plow construction are generally like that Villustrated in iny aforesaid application and need not be herein specifically described.

In the operation of the plow described, when it is desired to progressively lift or raise the plows from the ground, (Figs. 1

to .23) one of the cables 138 is drawn for-A wardly by the operator Ystanding on the platform 139 of the pulling engine 43 to throw the clutch collar 123 to the left from t-heposition illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and to thereby connect the shaft 117, which is normally stationary, with the gear wheel 120 so as to rotate said shaft forwardly. Said shaft, when rotating forwardly, operates through the worm 116, the worm gear 115, the pinion 111 and the rack 110 to shift the draw bar 83 and the universal bar I 76 and to progressively draw the wedge actuating bars and the wedge devices forwardly. This movement of the wedge devices between the upper and Ylower bearing rollers 53 and 50 associated with the supporting shafts or posts 46 of the plow beams serves to` progressively raise the plows, said wedge vdevices being drawn forwardly until the socketed or recessed extension; G8 thereof are brought into engagement with said bearing rollers 53 to thereby lock`thc plows in theirraised positions. lVhen the plow raising mechanism has completedits forvward travel to raise all the plows, the rear tripping block 140 on the draw bar 83 en gages the tripping lever 143 and acts onthe shifter lever y135 to shift the clutch collar to its intermediate'or'neutral position and thereby arrest the movement of said wedge actuating devices. Then the plows are to be lowered. at a time when the gang plow is moving forwardly, the other cable'138 is drawn forwardly to connect the clutch .col-

in Fig. 23 is essentially the same as that before described with the exception that all' the plows are raised out of'and lowered into ,the ground at the same time.

The operation above described applies generally 'to the construction illustrated in' Fig/25, with the exception that the rotation ofthe shaft 179 in either direction serves'to shiftthe reciprocable bar 175 inI one direction or the other,veitl1er`to lift the plows into the ground.

It will be observedv that in each of the constructions described there is provided a supporting or tracking wheel which rolls upon the unplowed ground and supports a part of the weight of the plow frame, and which Ais connected with the plow raising and lowering mechanism in such a mannei' that when the mechanism is set in position for operation to either raise or lower the plows, such raising or'lowering function is completed, and the operation of the mechanism is automatically arrested without furtherattention on the artof the operator on the engine. In other words, the onlymanual operation required is to set the mechanism iii-operation, after the full operatic-n of raising and lowering the plows is completed and the mechanism tripped out of operation.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 24 the supporting wheel 35 willlbe provided vwith a roughened or spiked tread to, insure proper engagement or traction on the ground to effect the desired result,- 'llhat is to say, to positively operate the'plow raising and lowering mechanism.

While I have'herein shown wedge-devices for controlling the raising and' lowering movement of the plow, it will be obvious lthat, so far as the automatic feature 4of raising and lowering the plow is concerned,

wedge devices and wedge actuating bars are therefore to be regarded, in the broader statement ofthe invention, as terms of description rather than terms of limitation, except where such devices are specifically claimed.

It will furthermore be obviousthat the` construction described is otherwise capable of considerable variation without-departure from the scope and spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention r* 1. A wheeled gang plow comprising a frame having' a supporting wheel which" lplows out of the ground or to lower the' -other devices may be employed. The terms nlowering vmechanism wheel. y

2.' A wheeled gangplow comprising aA travels on the ground, a series of plows connected to the frame, mechanism having a positively actuatedto and fro rectilinear movement for lifting the plows out of and lowering the'm into the ground, vand operative connection between -said raising and and said supporting frame having a supporting 'wheel which travels on the ground, a series o f plows connected to'the frame by pivotal connections arranged to permit the plows to be raised and lowered Aand mechanism operatively connected to and actuated by said supporting wheel and having means for connecting the same with said plows, said mechanism embracing a rectilinearly movable reversible element arranged to act on the plows to lift the same out of the ground and to control pinion, and operative connections between said worm gear mechanism and said supporting wheel for rotating the former, embracing a reversing mechanism arranged to rotate the worm gear mechanism in either of two opposite directions.

t.. A wheeled gang plow comprising a frame having a supporting wheel which travelsr on ,thefground, a series of plows connected to the frame and means for actuating the plows to raise them from and lower them into the ground comprising a reciprocable rack bar, a pinion meshing with the rack.

bar, a'worm wheel and worm for rotating the pinion, Va shaft with which the worm rotates, two opposing gear wheelsloosely mounted on said shaft, a clutch collarslidable on and non-rotative on said. shaft between said g'ear wheels and having means` for separatel'yengaging the same with said gear wheels, one of rsaid gear wheels being operatively. connected to said supporting wheel and the other gear wheel being con.

nected to the shaft through a reversing mechanism, and means ,for shifting- -said 1 clutch collar on the shaft into engagement p with one or the other of said gear wheels.

A wheeled gang plow comprising a frame, a series of plows connected to the frame and means for actuating the plows to raise them from. andl lower them to the ground comprising a reciprocable rack bar,-

a pinion meshing with the rack bar, a power actuated worm wheel andv a worm for rotating the pinion, a shaft with which the worm `rotates, means for rotating said shaft, y

embracing reversing means arranged to rotate the shaft in twoV opposite directions, and a crank on said shaft for rotating the same independently of the normal actuating means.

6. A wheeled gang plow comprising a frame having a supporting wheel which travels on the ground, a series of plows connected to the frame, mechanism having a positively actuated to and fro rectilinear movement for lifting the plows out of and lowering them into the ground, operative connection between saidraising and lowering mechanism and said supporting wheel, and means arranged to operate at the limit of each to and fro movement of said mechanism for tripping the plow actuating mechanism out of action.

7. A gang plow comprising a frame, a 'seriesof gang plows connected to the frame and means for actuating the plows to raise them from and lower them to the ground comprising a reciprocable raclrbar, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, a worin wheel and a `worm for rotating the pinion, a shaft with which the worm rotates, and means for` rotating said shaft 'embracing reversing 'means arranged tofrotate the shaft in two opposite directions.

8. A. wheeled gang plow comprising a frame, a series of plows connected tothe framev by pivotal connections arranged to permit the plows'to be raised and lowered,

.a motor for pulling the frame and plows forwardly, mechanism for raising and lowering the plows embracing a reversing element, means for throwing said mechanism into action. embracing actuating means eX- tending forwardly-to 'the motor, said reversing element being normally ina neutral or non-actuating position, and means movable with the plow'. actuating mechanism and operating at the limit ofthe movementthereof in either direction to adjust said' reversing Amechanism to its central or neutral position. v 'v 9. A wheeled "ga-ng plow comprising a frameprovided with supporting wheels, a' series of plows having. forwardly extending, vertically swinging beams connected tosaid frame, raising and lowering 'means connected to the plow beams, a reciprocable rack bar commonjyto and connected with all of said. raising and lowering means, and having progressive lost motion with respect to certain of said plows,and means for reciprocatingthe rack bar embracing a pinion meshing with the rack bar.

frame provided with supporting wheels, a series of plows having forwardly extending, vertically swinging beams connected` to said frame, raising and lowering means connecti0. A wheeled gang plow comprising a ed to the plow beams comprising forwardly frameraising and lowering mechanism connected to the plow beams, embracing forwardly extendingslotted bars, a universal bar having studs engaging the slots of the slotted bars and means for giving forward and rearward movementto said universal bar.

wheeled gangplow comprising aA frame provided with supporting wheels, a series of plows having forwardly extending, vertically swinging beams connected with the frame. wedge devices forraising' and lowering the plo-wa, bars extending forwardly from .said wedge devices, said bars being longitudinally slotted at their forward ends. a universal bar extending transversely of the slotted-bars and provided with studs engaging the slots of said bars and positively actuated means for giving forward Y act on the forwardmost plow to first raise, or

and rearward movement to said universal bar.

13. A gang plow comprising a plurality of plows arranged side by side and one in front of the other and arranged to be raised and lowered,'mechanism for raising land lowering the plows embracing means which lower, the same and tro/progressively act on the plows in rear thereof to raise, or lower,

-the same, said raising and lowering means embracing a reciproc'able rack bar, a pinion meshing therewith and driving means for said pinion embracing a reversible element, whereby the pinion may be d'riven in opposite direction let, A gang plow comprising a fr ame, a series of plows trailing behind and connected to the frame and arranged sideby side 'and one in front of the other and having rising and falling movement, an elementhaving a positively actuated to and fro rectilinear movement and means connected with the plows and operatively connected with said element by means permitting lost motion therebetween for progressively raising and lowering the plows.

15. A gang plow comprising a frame, a plurality of plows arranged side by side and one in front of the other and having forwardly extending, vertically swinging beams connected to said frame, raising and lowering devices connected with the plow ends of said beams and extending forwardly therefrom, positively acting' means extending.

backwardly over said beams and operatively connected to said raising and lowering de'- vvices, there being a lost motion between' said positively -actuated` means. and thel raising and lowering devices to progressively raise and lower said plows.

16. A gang plow comprising aframe, a

plurality of plows arranged side by side and' one in front of the other and Vprovided with forwardly extending, vertically lswingable beams connected to the frame, raising and lowering devices for the plow ends of the beams embracing forwardly extending slotted bars, a universal bar provided with studs adapted to engage the slots of said bars, means whereby the studs have progressively longer lost motion relatively to the slotted bars from the forward to the rearward plow and means for giving forward and rearward movement to said universal bar.

17. A gang plow comprising a frame, la pluralitv of plows arranged side by side and one in front of the other and provided Awith forwardly extending, vertically swingable -beams connected to the frame, raising and lowering devices for the plow ends of the beams embracing forwardly extending slotted bars, a universal bar provided with studs adapted to engage the slots of said bars, a

reciprocable rack bar connected to the uni" versal bar, means' for giving positive to and fro movement to the rack bar, embracing a pinion meshing with the rack bar, and means whereby the studs have progressively longer lost motion' in said slotsi'elatively to the slotted bars from the front of the rear plow. 18. A gang plow comprising a frame, a plurality of plows arranged side by side ioo and one in front of the other and provided I with forwardly extending, vertically swingable beams connected to the frame, raising and lowering devices for theplow ends of the beams embracing forwardly extendingslotted bars, a universal bar provided with studs adapted to engage the slots of said bars, said slots being provided at their ends with lateral notches of progressively increasing length from the front to the rear plow adapted to receive the studs when the universal bar is at the limits of its movenient, means for giving positive to and fro movement to the universal bar, and means operable in a prescribed part of the movementof said slotted bars fo'r laterally disengaging the studs from said notches.

19. A gang plow comprising a frame. a plurality of plows arranged side by side and one in front of the other and provided wit-h forwardly extending, horizontally swingable beams connected to the frame, raising and lowering devices for the plow ends of the beams embracing forwardly extending slotted bars, a universal bar provided with studs adapted to engage the slots of said bars, said slots being provided. at

their ends with lateral notcheeA et progressiveliY increasing length trom the t'ront to the rear plow :niapted to receive the Stuoe when the nnircreal bar is at the limits ot ity movement. means for giving7 positive to and :tro movement.l to the n1iiverf-albar and therethrough to the Slotted barre, and trippinel` dog-e for tripping the notched parte oit the ldotted hareA out ot engagement .vith said etude.

2t). A gang plow comprising a traine, a pluralityY of plowey arranged side h v' `.ide and one in trontoii the other and pre ded with forwardly extending, horizont;vr f Swingahle heanrsl connected to the tramon raising` and .lowering devieee Ytor the 'plow ends oit the lie-ams embracing forwardly t-::teii iliiig slotted bars the Slots ot which have lateral notches at their ends of progresniwily increasing-lengths [from the front to the rear plow, a universal har provided with stade adapted to engage said slots and to rest in the notches at the limits o t movement of the raining and lowering devices*y means :tor giving positive to and fro movement.v to Said m'iiversal har and tl ieretln'ongh to the slotted hare and two sets et' tripping doge arranged with two dogs of ditlerent Sets in `line with-each .slotted han one adapted to trip the notched portion thereotl out of engagement with its stud in one direction ot niorei'nent oi the bar and the other to ettect leach disengagement in the other direction of movement of said bar,

2l. 1n a gang plow7 the combination with a vertici llv swingable plow beam with means for raming` and lmvering the Same, ot' a har extending forwardly from the raising and lowering moanal and provided at its end with a slot, with lateral notches: at the ende ot the Slot, a memher having a stud t0 engage the slot and associated with means for positiveluv1 moving it to and frm and tripping dogs arranged in the path of Said slotted har to trip the notched portion of the slotted bar awa)7 from said sti1cls,'oiie of said dogs being in position to act when thtl bar mores in one direction and the other dog` in position to act when 1the har moves in the opposite direction.

2i. Yln a ga ngplow, the (izomhination with a vertically Swingahle plow beam with meansy for raising and ltwvering the Same, ot' a bar extending tm'wardlv :troni the raising and lowering .means and provided at its end with a slot, with lateral notches at, the endel ot the slot, a member having a sind to engage the slot. and associated with means lor poeitiveliV moving it to and fro, and piroted tripping dogs tree to Swingin one diiection hat immovable in the other direetion: said dogs being arranged one in front oi' the other in the path ot the bar and termed with oppositely directed oblique tace4 adapted to he engaged by a part car ried hy the bar, said oblique faces ot' one dogu being reverselv inclined relatively to the other dog.

23. gang plow comprising a frame, a pluralit)y of plows arranged side by side and one in trontot' the other and provided with forwardly extending. vertically swingahle beams connected to the trame, raising and loweringdevices tor the plow ends of the beams embracing forwardlyY extending elotted hare, a universal har provided with etude adapted to engage the slots ot" said hare. means whereb)v the Studs have p rogreeeivelv longer lost motion;relatively to the slotted bars jfrom the forward to the rearward plow and means for giving forward and rearward movement to Said univelsal l ar1 said Slots of the bars being rearw'ardlv extended to permit the plowhl to he Separately raised.

ln testimony, that l claim the foregoing as my invention l atiix in v signature in the presence oftwo witnesaes, this QSth day of Januar)v A. l). llll.

lCllOliS EIIJER 

